Posts Tagged ‘Great Sand Dunes Nat’l Park & Preserve’

From it’s inception I knew this piece would be a challenge. Nineteen square feet of glass in one large 9.5″ by 2″ panel. The client wanted scenes from the San Luis Valley where he grew up. This included the Sand Dunes, the Rio Grande, cranes (a favorite motif of mine revisited in this original design), aspen trees, columbine and Mt Blanca. Also included in this panel are scenes from Adams State College, Richardson Hall and an original statue on campus.

First, I designed the cartoon…

Then Cut, Foiled and Soldered the Piece together…

Then the finished piece is taken to Hogue’s Glass to be sandwiched between two pieces of tempered glass and framed in a brushed stainless steel frame. The frame was fabricated by Chris Hayden of Arcman Welding.

Although I did this piece back in 2000 when the Great Sand Dunes Nationa’l Monument became a full-fledged National Park, and it has been hanging in the visitors center there since; it was chosen to be included in work displayed at DIA in the show, “Art of the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve” on concourse A.

On September 26th, 2009, the installation and unveiling took place at the visitor’s center with a crowd-filled lobby. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar pulled the coverings from the panels and spoke a few words in honor of “Public Lands Day”. Park superintendent Art Hutchison spoke as well and introduced me to talk about the project and my relationship to the Sand Dunes.

I was also honored by the park staff and the “Friends of the Dunes” with a reception for my friends and family after the unveiling.

The first time I visited the dunes was as a young girl on a Scouting trip. Little could I know that someday I would be honored to have such a piece of my work displayed in this park. Since coming to the valley in 1969 as a college student, and later marrying and raising my family here, I have been to the dunes numerous times to camp and hike.

Right around Christmas of last year I was approached by Art Hutchison, the Superintendent of GSDNP&P and asked if I would consider doing an installation for the Visitor Center similar to the one I did the previous fall at Great Basin. This project would be a bit smaller; around 28 sq. ft.

Since my installation at Great Basin had been featured on the web-page of the NPS site, I have had a couple of interested inquiries.

After further planning & a few meetings, it was agreed that the “Friends of the Dunes” would purchase the supplies, and I would donate my time and skill in exchange for the title of AIR.

As this park is practically in my own backyard here in the beautiful valley where I have made my home for nearly 40 years, I am once again humbled by the honor of creating work to be a part of our great National Parks.